Published on May 12, 2024

 

Led by Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, Co-founder and President of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative

Brought to you by the Sustainable Libraries Initiative & the American Library Association

Climate change and environmental destruction are a code red for humanity and are this generation’s grandest challenge. As community leaders and facilitators, libraries should be modeling sustainable practices among their staff and within their facilities.

In this special eCourse, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich, President of the Sustainable Libraries Initiative, will lead you through the principles and practices of sustainable librarianship along with a group of expert speakers, lecturers and writers. This 4-week asynchronous eCourse will begin on Monday, July 8, 2024 and run until August 4, 2024.

Our ability to pull together as neighbors and adapt in the face of what is already happening while lessening the severity of the impacts for future generations will require us to think differently, to adopt a new mindset, and to consider decisions—large and small—through the lens of sustainability. Libraries of all types are perfectly positioned to help with and to lead in this work. We must step up in this moment and find ways to lead by example and inspire those we serve with and for to do the same.

After participating in this course students will:

  • Gain a strong understanding of the “triple bottom line” definition of sustainability as adopted by the American Library Association as a Core Value of Librarianship. 
  • Have the ability to accurately describe operational decisions, services, programs, and partnerships their library is already undertaking that better position their institutions as sustainability leaders.
  • Make operational decisions as well as design new services, programs, and partnerships to ensure their institutions are relevant and responsive in the face of the impacts of climate change using the “sustainable thinking” model. 
  • Understand the importance of equity, diversity, and inclusion in the context of climate justice.

Click here to register or to learn more about this eCourse